Research Interests

We are interested in the theory and practice of intelligent agents. We have
applied our results to the following applications: Information retrieval,Information dissemination over wide-area networks, Electronic commerce, Peer-to-Peer Computing, Business Process Modelling and Design.
This work is done in the context of project DIET funded by the European Community under IST/FET. [More information about Intelligent Agents]

We are interested in the new and exciting area of P2P and Grid computing. Our work on P2P computing is done in the context of project DIET and utilises ideas from agent systems, distributed computing, natural ecosystems and economics. Our work on Grid computing emphasizes aspects similar to the ones we study for P2P computing (e.g., resource allocation), but we are also especially interested in the role of Grid computing in bioinformatics. Our work on bioinformatics is currently funded by project BRIDGEMAP. [More information about Peer-to-Peer and Grid Computing]

The research of our group in bioinformatics aims at the development of tools that manage biological data and assist biologists in their research. To do this, we utilize our expertise in modern technologies such as data and knowledge-base management systems, intelligent agents, P2P computing and computational grids. Currently we are developing the bioinformatics toolkit for the comparative genomics project BRIDGEMAP. [More information about Bioinformatics]

Publications by Category

Funding

One of the greatest challenges we now face in Grid Computing regards the ability to explicitly share and deploy knowledge to be used for the development of innovative Grid infrastructure, and for Grid applications – the Semantic Grid. To address this challenge the OntoGrid project will produce the technological infrastructure for the rapid prototyping and development of knowledge-intensive distributed open services for the Semantic Grid. Designing Grid applications that make use of a Semantic Grid requires a new and sound methodology which OntoGrid will develop. The results are aimed at developing grid systems that optimize cross-process, cross-company and cross-industry collaboration, which OntoGrid will show by adopting a use case-guided development and evaluation strategy based on two test case applications of differing, yet stereotypical, Grid characterisation. A principle of OntoGrid is to adopt and influence standards in Semantic Grid and Grid Computing, in particular the Open Grid Service Architecture. [More information about this project]

The vision of EVERGROW - ever-growing global networks, their provisioning, repair and unique functions - is to invent methods and systems, and build infrastructure for measurement, mock-up and analysis of network traffic, topology and logical structure, so that we can start now to address the opportunities presented by the Internet of 2025. [More information about this project]

The DIET project proposes to specify, design, implement and validate a novel information processing and management framework via a bottom-up, ecosystem approach. DIET would provide a set of new technologies including a complex information ecosystem tool suite with infohabitants exhibiting self-organising and emergent behaviour. The whole ecosystem simulation will be validated by getting different societies of infohabitants to interact within a rich information environment (the WWW) whilst providing useful information management services for human infohabitants. DIET would also provide intelligent, interactie simulation and visualisation tools to facilitate understanding the complex interactions in the ecosystem. DIET ultimately aims to develop technologies which will replace brittle, expensive, unadaptive software with robust, inexpensive and adaptable solutions to ever increasing complexity in a more networked era. [More information about this project]